"But Also..."

My morning Bible reading has reached a dismal stretch in 2 Kings, wherein almost every paragraph documents a ruler worse than the previous one, a nation mired in idolatry and unfaithfulness to Yahweh, and threats or actual defeats by foreign armies. Israel has been divided between northern and southern kingdoms, which occasionally join forces against a common enemy but sometimes attack each other instead.

God's faithfulness nonetheless shines through. He sends prophets like Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah to speak truth, to call the nation back to the true God, and to minister with signs and wonders to the faithful remnant and even an occasional Gentile (non-Israelite) whose need opens him or her to the God of Israel.

In the midst of this context, the Biblical historian summarizes the circumstances:

They feared the Lord, but they also appointed from their number priests to serve them in the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord, but they also worshiped their own gods according to the custom of the nations where they had been deported from. 

34 They are still practicing the former customs to this day. None of them fear the Lord or observe their statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments the Lord commanded the descendants of Jacob. He had renamed him Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, 

“Do not fear other gods;

do not bow down to them;

do not serve them; 

do not sacrifice to them.

36 Instead fear the Lord, who brought you from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm.

You are to bow down to Him, 

and you are to sacrifice to Him.

37 You are to be careful always to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments He wrote for you; 

do not fear other gods. 

38 Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you. 

Do not fear other gods, 

39 but fear the Lord your God, and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 

40 However, they would not listen but continued practicing their former customs. 41 These nations feared the Lord but also served their idols. Their children and grandchildren continue doing as their fathers did until today (2 Kings 17:32-41, HCSB, formatting and emphases mine).

The repeated pattern, "but...also," captures my attention and probes my heart. The people fear the Lord, but they also appoint their own priests to worship their own way in the places they choose. They fear the Lord, but they also worship their own gods, gods they borrow from the cultures around them and out of which they have come. They fear the Lord but also serve their idols and leave that legacy to their offspring.

What about me? Do I have a "but also"? If so, what is it? Is the worship, service, devotion, and trust of my heart divided between the God who brought me out of my own Egypt and anything or anyone else? Have I tried to meld His worship with the practices of the world system around me?

The preacher's words yesterday still ring in my ears:

When a good thing becomes the ultimate thing, then it's a bad thing.

Has any good thing--family, health, comfort, home, the bank account--become ultimate for me?

God's gracious correction to His people of old calls me back today. "Don't do that; do this." Israel rejects the call to repentance and remembrance, and history tells the sad tale of exile by their conquerors and the redemptive tale of God's faithfulness in captivity and in restoring them to the land in the fullness of time. In refusing to forsake their idols, they choose defeat over deliverance.

How will I respond?

Lord, knower of all hearts, search me and show me my "but also" idols today. Forgive me, and grant me grace to love You only and with all I am and have. Thank you for the written record of Your dealings with Your covenant people in the past. By Your grace, allow me to learn from their examples, to emulate the good and avoid the bad. Enable me especially to learn from the example of Christ in whom I live and who lives in me. What a great grace that is! Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness even when I am unfaithful. Thank You for the assurance that You will complete the good work You have begun in me. Let Your work shine through in me today, in the name of the Savior Jesus. Amen.

*************************************

Let me continue to give thanks to the Lord for all He gives:
first batch of cranberry sauce of the season;
cupcakes to share and savor;

garden roses and a bit of lavender perfuming the kitchen;

full moon on a cloudy night;

a new bird guest in the garden, not yet identified;

a very thoughtful greeting card from a Bible study friend having her own surgery today;

a loved one embarking on her own blogging adventure as spouse and primary caregiver to a stroke survivor;

the ongoing dance of the queen butterflies in our garden;

{If reading by email or in an RSS feed, you may need to visit the blog on the Web to view the brief video clips.}

a box of my late grandmother's music to sort through;
ability, graced by God and cultivated by parents and teachers, to enjoy it;

walking in fog rather than darkness this morning;

enough light for the step we're on;

prayers upholding me as I await an outpatient surgery Thursday morning;

laughter at photos and inscriptions in childhood yearbooks my parents unearthed from storage;

hugs from friends at church;

God's worthiness to be worshiped exclusively and entirely with no "but also."

(still counting gifts, these #7872-7887)

Jack-O'-Lantern {A Poem}

When adversity carves you open,
Empties out the flesh and fruitfulness
Of life before the knife;
Gouges gaping, jagged wounds
Too severe to scar--

That emptiness carves room for grace
And otherworldly light
To shine salvation into the wounds
Of this dark, frightful night world.

Life beyond the knife
Is not extinguished
But aflame
With glory.


For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7, NIV1984

Revisiting "Revisiting Delight"

Today the bonnie wee lass next door was leaving for school as Ebony and I returned from our walk. Not wanting to interrupt her departure routine, as she was already being buckled into her seat, we crept past unnoticed, or so we thought.

"Kissteena! Kissteena!" I heard over my shoulder, and there she was running down her driveway to give us a hug. Last week was not my favorite week ever, so that was a welcome Monday morning surprise.

(In case you were wondering, she will be dressed as a Disney princess Wednesday evening and ought to be flying her magic carpet to our house for candy as she makes her rounds.)

Her vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds since the following post from a year and a half ago, but the sentiment still holds true. Even if it didn't, she's studying martial arts now, so it behooves me to stay on her good side.

One evening last week, Allen and I returned from a brief outing at the same time as our neighbor returned from work. We exchanged greetings and let him know we'd referred a family member to his business. Then he asked if we wanted to see his toddler, "Olivia," who was in the truck, too. Of course, we did.

We stepped across to their driveway while he lifted her out and set her down. As she found her balance, he said, "Livvy, do you want to say hi to Allen and Christina?"

She sized us up and then focused on me, down on one knee, and began trotting toward us. Given the slope of the driveway, she picked up speed along the way until finally throwing herself into my arms.

"What a good hug, Livvy. Did you have a good day at school today?"

"'Ehs."

"Actually, she went to her grandma's today," her dad amended.

I relaxed my arms, but she was still holding fast, so I relaxed into the moment instead, stroking her back and memorizing the vaguely fruity scent of her tousled curls. What's that feeling tugging at the corners of my mouth? Oh, yes, I remember. It's delight.

"What did you do at grandma's? Did you dance? I know what a good dancer you are."

"Dance."

"What else...did you take a nap for grandma?"

"Nap," she nodded.

"Did you...play outside? Kind of hot for that, though."

"Pay outside."

"Are you really answering my questions, or are you parroting everything I say?"

"Pehting ehveeting you say." (Somebody give that girl a rim shot.)

She kept hugging my neck a few minutes longer, then sat on the drive and on my lap while her dad talked with us about the city's basketball celebration. After high fives all around, she decided to swing, and her dad decided it was time to go inside where her mother was waiting. The spell was broken.

This small person gave me the gift of a few minutes of concentrated, spontaneous affection, and with it came joy. I had no candy or presents to offer her; she was not, as far as I know, trying to escape an unpleasant chore; she wasn't even sad and seeking comfort. She simply wanted to give and receive love.

How did I respond? I didn't push her away, saying, "Livvy, this is not the time. Can't you see those weeds around the live oak? Get to work." Her affection pleased me to receive as much as it pleased her, evidently, to give.

In my mind's ear afterward, I heard the word of the Lord saying, "If you, then, being evil... how much more your Father in heaven...?"

Can it be that my heavenly Father, just like my earthly one, doesn't care as much about my lists of duties and reading and prayer requests and getting stuff done as I do? as He does my spending time with Him, in His Word, prayer, and worship, without an agenda, but just for the pleasure of each other's company? Can it be that the God of the universe even takes pleasure in my company? Can it be that the commands to learn and keep His Word and to pray are not only good for me in an eat-your-vegetables kind of way but as a means of being close to each other?

Apparently so:

The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy (Zeph. 3:17, HCSB).

He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me (Ps. 18:19, HCSB).

You will be a glorious crown in the LORD's hand,and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.You will no longer be called Deserted,and your land will not be called Desolate;instead,you will be called My Delight is in Her,and your land Married;for the LORD delights in you,and your land will be married (Isaiah 62:3-5, HCSB).

Jesus answered, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23, HCSB). 

If you are a child of God through Christ, beloved, your Father delights in you; He delights in me. Let me say that again, in case you missed it the first time:

Your Father delights in you.

This week I personally need to revisit the practice of delight and celebration and reorient my practice of spiritual disciplines (which are primary means of experiencing His love and delight) around the starting principle that He loves me and wants me more than my agenda, even if it's an agenda I thought I'd received from Him.

May the Lord grant us grace this week to rest, even if only for minutes stolen from pressing responsibilities, in His loving embrace. May His delight in us strengthen and sustain all our obedience by adorning it with joy.

************************************************
Reviewing the last week, I'm giving thanks to our Father for
His trustworthiness no matter what ~ a lovely lunch fellowship to conclude the fall Bible study time ~
sharing a friend's sorrows ~ disappointing news that the pink spot on my scalp is basal cell carcinoma ~
caring for sick husband ~ Ebony's sleepy smell (like Frito's) ~ helping Eb with his new puzzle toy ~
beautiful sunset on rare evening walk ~ burger place that delivers ~
perfectly timed prayer words in a blog post ~ CraftLit starting Jane Eyre ~
learning to praise and thank even when that doesn't yield peaceful feelings ~
kind, funny medical staff at dermatological surgery clinic ~ a week with no away-from-home appointments ~
getting back on track learning new Scripture by heart, Eph. 2:1-2 this week
(Joy Dare, # 7790-7804)

We're praying for y'all who are in Hurricane Sandy's path. May God protect you!

Concert of Prayer

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150:6

Shutting the door on the distracting, the unfinished,
I take my prayers outdoors.
The liturgy has begun without me
Yet bids me enter in.

A mockingbird carols its medleyed melody of borrowed psalms.
Fritillaries and queens glide and flutter, drinking deeply the goodness of the Lord.
Bees buzz the possible impossible, flying because nothing is too hard for Him.
Grasshoppers leap for joy in the autumn-dull grass.
Lavender, rosemary, basil, and thyme proclaim the sweet savor of His grace.
The poplar claps its leaves with a sound like falling rain.
Moonflower lifts its tight bud, biding time to waft its incense in the watches of the night.
Cloudless blue arches over all in Aaronic benediction.

Everything that has breath--
And some things that haven't--
Praise the Lord.
(Will I?)

***************
Today I'm saying yes to praise, thanking God for His good gifts this past week:

lunch with Mom and a friend

next-day appointment to have suspicious skin change biopsied

Bible study ladies praying together

employment prayer for a friend's husband answered right away

favorable settlement for Mezzo to replace her car

kind words from new friend

preaching gospel of grace to myself

blog friend working a cue into her day to remind her to pray for me

hour in the shade, delighting in the Creator's presence in the garden

correspondence exchanged with friends

girls' night with Mezzo

guys' night for husband

quiet Sunday nursing colds

watching local sports team win this week

long nap to make up for bad night

starting the week slowly

(counting gifts #7707-7721)

sharing with Ann and Laura's communities:

 

On This Day in October

For October 15, 2012

Outside my window...
The street is quiet, the sunlight filtered by clouds and the strong branches of our live oak (#7615).

I am thinking...
what a gracious blessing praying friends are! (7616)

I am thankful...
My sister resumed driving after her accident, returned to classes but not singing yet, and learned she can receive free legal assistance through the university where she's enrolled (7617-18).

In the kitchen...
Dishes need to be stowed in cabinets, salmon sits defrosting in the refrigerator for tonight, and my list is not shrinking very fast (yet here I sit...). (7619)

I am wearing...
a royal purple tunic, jeans, and sheepskin clogs (7620-21, plentiful clothing and warm shoes)

I am creating...
well, this blog post for one. Also, the second sock of the pair I started early in the year is on my knitting needles, now that the ergonomic issues with yarncrafting seem to have resolved (7622-7623).

I am going...
to lunch with my mom and our breast-cancer survivor friend (7624).

I am wondering...
whether I should be wearing pink for her instead, especially since it's October. Oh, wait, is that not what the question intended? :)

I am reading...
Beth Moore's study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things (fall Bible study); 1 Kings, Psalms, Daniel, and 1 Thessalonians; and an Italian-American novel from the library (youngest sister's recommendation because of our heritage).
(I'm also in the middle of five other books, which is excessive even for me, but none of them are actually getting read at present. There's probably a 12-step group for that.) (7625)

I am hoping...
a pink spot on my scalp is nothing serious (7626, chance to grow in trust).

I am looking forward to...
our last Bible study discussion Wednesday (7627).

I am learning...
to trust God with my loved ones. Again. (7628)

Around the house...
Ebony is asleep in the wing chair next to the computer and all is quiet today. (7629)

I am pondering...
whether I really need more faith or just need to realize all over again how big and mighty God is. Elijah's faith in 1 Kings 18 really challenged me this morning. Am I so confident (1) that God hears prayer and (2) that He can burn up an animal sacrifice, wet wood, dust, stones, and a trench full of water that I'd stake my life and His reputation on it? (7630)

A favorite quote for today...
this whole prayer by Scotty Smith, but here's my favorite bit:

Expel the fears that set up residence in our hearts with a fresh influx of Jesus’ perfect love.... You’ve numbered our hairs and our days. You’ve got the hearts of every king in your hand. Nothing catches you off guard or by surprise. There are no wrinkles in your brow and there’s no second-guessing in your courts. You don’t always do what we want, but you always do what we we’d ask, if we only knew better. You give and you take away—blessed be your name, O Lord. (7631)

One of my favorite things...
time at the piano with a hymnal and no one around to hear. Except Ebony. He's an easy critic. (7632)

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Doctor Tuesday, Bible study and cleaning lady Wednesday, visit with Mezzo Friday (7633)

I am memorizing...
Ephesians 1:22-23, NIV84:
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (7634).

A peek into my day...

7635. Splendor of the King

sharing with Ann, Laura, and for the first time with Simple Woman's Daybook